Sunrise in my Darkness
by Harmonykat
Summary: James flounders in his attempts to ask for Lily's Hand
1. Part One: Shakespeare and Shagging

**Disclaimer: You all know whose this is. **

**A/N: This is dedicated with love and adoration to Bianca Solderini, who may just have my head for what I have written. If she kills me, see you in the next life; sorry I couldn't update. **

"Sunrise in my Darkness"

OR

"Merely a Madness"

A Lunacy in Two Parts

By Katharine Ayn Sintonia

James sat under a statue in Kensington Park, scribbling furiously on a piece of parchment, ignoring the odd looks he was getting from passer-by. Without heed for the muggles surrounding him, he sucked on the end of his quill, considering what he'd written. His pensive expression darkened into a glower, and he viciously scratched out a line. He ran a hand through his already messy raven hair and leaned back against the statue. He glared up at it and whispered, "I was _named_ for you, you miserable blighter. I realise you're dead, but would you awfully mind helping me write this damn thing?"

He crossed out another line and bit his lower lip, thinking hard. "You love her, James, old boy. You can do this."

Later, after a full half hour of staring blankly at his parchment, he stood and shook his head bitterly at the statue. "You've failed me, Barrie. Thanks to you, Lily will laugh whilst I trip over my poorly written words tonight." Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something large and furry. He ignored it. "So if you wouldn't horribly mind it, could you be a bit of a muse? I mean, for Lily's--"

He was cut off when he was tackled by an enormous black dog. "Urgh! Gerroff, you manky Grim!" he managed to gasp out as the dog energetically licked his face. He shoved it off and got to his feet, rolling his eyes at Sirius. "Come on; let's go back to my flat. Stupid dog."

Sirius woofed, seized the parchment out of James' hand, and ran off.

"Bugger!" He ran after Sirius, swearing spectacularly under his breath.

When he got back to his flat, he was clutching the stitch in his side, and Sirius stood in the doorway in his human form, grinning at James as he held the parchment. "So," he said in a conversational tone. "Are you planning on making Lily vomit?"

"I hate you," James muttered.

"Sorry, didn't catch that. Did you say, 'Lily, you complete me'?"

Sirius ducked James' punch and walked into the flat, summoning a bottle of firewhiskey and two shot glasses. "No, mate, I'm proud of you for finally growing the balls to do it. Although your proposal is entirely nauseating," he added as an afterthought.

James groaned and said quietly, "You know I hate it when you pry into my business. I was hoping to surprise you and the lads with this."

Sirius looked wounded. "Bastard. How could you even imagine doing something this monumental without consulting your trusty band of loyal Marauders?"

"Merlin, what are you, a bloody woman?" James asked in disbelief. "I can and I _will_ propose to Lily without getting your mad stamp of approval."

Sirius threw the bottle of whiskey at James, who caught it one-handed. "Sirius, mate, never risk wasting firewhiskey," he said sternly as he poured the shots.

"You know, Prongs, there is an alternative to your 'You bring meaning to my life' bullshit." Sirius downed his shot and fixed James with a measuring gaze.

"Bloody hell. Do I even _want_ to know?' He sipped at his shot, meeting Sirius' stare warily.

"Listen well, Prongs: knock her up."

James spluttered into his Firewhiskey. "Are you completely _mental_? We haven't--We aren't going to--We're fighting a _war _and you're telling me to get her pregnant? No!" He downed the rest of his shot and glared. "If you keep up with this sort of advice, I'll be lucky to come home with my balls intact."

Sirius winced. "Fine. I'll get Remus. He's read books--he'll be able to think of something romantic." He pretended to swoon, fanning himself femininely as he tossed floo powder into the fireplace. " Branch Place, Hoxton!"

Remus Lupin had a glass of wine in one hand and an open book in the other. "This is utter madness," he muttered to himself as he turned the page. "Bloody pigs and their sodding windmill."

The sound of someone stepping out of his fireplace made him spin 'round, levelling his wand at the intruder. Upon seeing Sirius, he burst out laughing. "Come on, mate. You can't just sneak up on me like this. We're in the middle of a war. I was ready to hex you into next week."

Sirius stepped forward solemnly before throwing a scrap of parchment at Remus' feet. "Read that, Moony."

Remus raised an eyebrow but bent to pick it up. His eyes narrowed as he read it over. "Merlin," he muttered. "Is James an idiot?"

"Shockingly, that's exactly what I thought," Sirius commented as Remus _ran_ to grab a quill and red ink.

Remus shook his head as he unscrewed the ink bottle. "If this is how James intends to propose to Lily, he's either drunk, or stupid, _or both_. " Remus looked at Sirius rather sternly and continued. "You just can't be this clichéd!" He violently crossed out the line "You are the sunrise in my darkness." He shook his head, truly appalled as he muttered corrections under his breath. "Comma splice, poor phrasing, not parallel, _does not flow…_" He looked up at Sirius. "I can't let him say any of this. Lily will projectile vomit at least. I'm going over there."

Sirius grinned at the weary young man. "Yeah, we've got to go save James' arse again."

When Remus and Sirius arrived back at James' flat in Kensington, he'd already downed several more shots of firewhiskey. "I'm a goner," he mumbled into the crook of his elbow.

"Yes, you are," Sirius agreed mercilessly, clapping James on the back. "But don't worry; Remus can make even _your_ dribble sound romantic."

James glowered at the two of them. "I hate you both."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Then I'll just be off home. I'm sure Lily will absolutely adore that line about her being your 'sunshine'. Then she'll fall to her knees in a way befitting your appalling cliché and strike you violently about the face, head, and neck. But sure, you don't need us here at all." With that, he turned on his heel and walked back toward the fireplace.

"Wait." James stood and looked abashedly at Remus and Sirius. "I admit it, I'm screwed. Help?" He attempted a miserable look, an interesting sight in his half-inebriated state.

Remus grinned triumphantly, and Sirius let out a bark of a laugh. Remus conjured a glass of wine and sipped at it, considering James' predicament. "Hmmm. Lily's muggle-born, and as I was a prefect with her, I can say that Lily adores poetry and classic literature. May I suggest writing a poem?"

James raised an eyebrow. "You do remember Lily loves _me?_ I've never said anything that even smacks of poetry to her."

"But you were willing to propose to her with that clichéd garbage?" He rolled his eyes. "Pads, come here. We're going to enact James' proposal."

Sirius fanned himself and batted his lashes girlishly. "Oh James, dinner was delicious. I love you sooooo much," he half-sang in a high falsetto.

Remus bit back a chortle. "Quit with the Monty Python." He cleared his throat and fell to his knees, clutching Sirius' hand to his chest, and read melodramatically from the scrap of parchment. "Oh my dearest, darling Lily: I think I fell in love with you the moment I saw you on the Hogwarts Express all those years ago. There was an--I can't read this word--light in your…eyes…like you were ready to conquer the world. I'd provoke you into arguments just to see that light fill your eyes. I'll never--does that say 'forget?'--the day you told me you loved me in return. You bring meaning to my life. Without you, I'm nothing--you are the sunrise in my darkness, and I would be the happiest man in the world, if you, Lily Marie Evans, would be my wife."

Sirius, biting back laughter, fell to his knees and slapped Remus. James looked rather put out. "So what d'you wankers suggest?"

"Shakespeare," said Remus as Sirius said, "Sex."

James considered this. "What about both?"

"No!" Remus exclaimed exasperatedly. "I am _forbidding_ you to try to get in Lily's knickers until after you propose!"

James looked horror-struck. "But--but--"

"_ Don't_. Lily _told_ me about what happened last time."

James' face was suddenly the colour of sour milk. He spluttered incomprehensibly as Remus smirked evilly. "Shall I refresh your memory?"

James' hand went unconsciously to protect his groin. Lily's response to what he'd said, while utterly unsurprising, had been painful.

Sirius looked as though Christmas had come early. "What'd you say, Prongs?"

Remus sipped at his wine and said coolly, "So, Lily, what colour knickers are you wearing, or will I be surprised?"

Ignoring Sirius' hysterical laughter, James downed another shot and changed the subject. "What Shakespeare do you suggest?" he asked dejectedly.

"Sonnet Twenty-two. Copy this down," he ordered James and cleared his throat.  
"My glass shall not persuade me I am old,   
So long as youth and thou are of one date;  
But when in thee time's furrows I behold,  
Then look I death my days should expiate.  
For all that beauty that doth cover thee  
Is but the seemly raiment of my heart,  
Which in my breast doth live, as thine in me:  
How can I, then, be elder than thou art?  
O, therefore, love, be of thyself so wary  
As I, not for myself, but for thee will;  
Bearing thy heart, which I will keep so chary  
As tender nurse her babe from faring ill.  
Presume not on thy heart when mine is slain;  
Thou gavest me thine, not to give back again."

James looked up from his practically illegible scrawl. "Okay, so during dinner--"

"No," Remus and Sirius said in unison. "_After_ dinner."

"During is an appalling cliché," lectured Remus.

"Okay, fine. _After_ dinner, I'll take her to… Kensington Gardens, get down on one knee, read the sonnet, say, 'Will you marry me?' then go home and shag?" James suggested wearily.

The other men nodded. "Don't say anything stupid, for the love of all that is green and good in this world," Remus muttered. "Or Pads will mock you for the rest of your life, however short it may be."

Sirius, still snickering, managed to gasp out, "What…colour … knickers?" before dissolving helplessly into laughter again.

James shook his head. "I simply loathe you all. I'm going to go get dressed."


	2. Part Two: Wining and Whipping

**A/N: My Editor didn't slaughter me, hurrah! Much love for all the lovely reviews I've gotten thus far, and thanks for not killing me, Bianca! XOXOX --Kat**

" Sunrise in my Darkness"

A Lunacy in Two Parts

When James apparated into Lily's flat, he was met with a shriek.

"James bloody Potter!" There stood Lily, glorious in her half-exposed state. Her fiery hair hung in damp tendrils about her slim figure which was scarcely contained by her white cotton towel.

While James stood, awestruck, Lily stormed over to him and seized him by his collar. Heedless of his mortal peril, James noted her slipping towel with glee.

She noticed his gaze and let go of his collar only to slap him soundly on the face. "What have I told you about apparating into my flat?" she scolded, hiking her towel back up. "You wait _here_ whilst I go get dressed." She stormed off into her bedroom, muttering all the while under her breath.

James swore quietly. "Damnit. What a start to the night!" Glancing down the hall to make sure Lily's door was closed, he pulled the small box out of his pocket and popped it open, staring down at the silver ring that fairly dripped with diamonds. "_Please_ let this go well…"

"You can stop having pervy fantasies about me now, James. I'm ready," Lily sang out as she waltzed back into the common room, spectacular in a long midnight blue dress. James hurriedly stuffed the box back into his pocket.

"What was that?" she asked curiously.

James cleared his throat. "Pocket watch. Must make sure we're on time, I've made reservations at a charming muggle restaurant."

She grinned. "Lovely. Where is it?"

He stole a quick kiss and grinned dashingly. "It's just 'round the bend a bit, here in Kensington. It's called Byron's."

She kissed him back. "Fabulous. Is there an alley nearby that we can apparate to?"

He nodded and offered her his arm. "I know where we're going. My dear?" She took it and with a loud crack they were off.

* * *

James was nervous. Despite the over-priced champagne and delicious food, he couldn't help but be twitchier than usual. 

Lily seemed completely oblivious. She chattered merrily about her recent defeat of the young Molly Weasley at chess. James smiled tolerantly; Lily had been gloating about it non-stop, much to Molly's extreme distaste.

He admired the beautiful woman as he sipped at his peach champagne soup. For all of her delicacy, she did not look like a woman who had five Death Eater kills after a month. Just a week ago, she'd added two more names to her count, and James had added his first few names to his list.

Lily cleared her throat. She'd noticed his avid stare and was giving him a strange look. "Are you feeling quite alright, love?" she asked quietly.

He nodded nervously. "Never better. Why?"

She shrugged. "Oh, it's just that this is the first time you haven't told me to sod off for yammering on about kicking Molly's arse. I'm a bit shocked."

James merely smirked. "That, my dear, is because I wasn't even listening."

With a shrug and a small smile, she went back to her soup.

James heaved a quiet sigh and looked over towards the door to a restaurant, where a very oddly dressed man could be seen--and heard--arguing with the manager. He shouted in a burly Scottish accent about not being allowed to bring his seeing-eye dog into the restaurant. He leaned back in his chair for a better look. The man was tall, but his face was completely obscured by a large balaclava and dark glasses. Ever suspicious, James muttered to Lily, "Love, I've got to--er--use the loo; I'll be right back."

He bolted for the front of the restaurant, where the man was still arguing loudly. "I'll report ye to the Council for this, laddie!" The odd-looking man was clutching a blind man's cane and carrying a leash in the other. James' face went white. The man's seeing-eye dog was an enormous shaggy black dog that wagged its tail upon seeing James. "Bloody hell," he muttered.

He dashed into the lavatory and splashed some water on his face. "I'll fucking hex them into next week," he said _sotto voce_, punching into the palm of his hand. He glowered darkly at the door. "Bloody Marauders, I'll kill them for this." He straightened his tie and walked back into the restaurant. With a bit of a vicious grin, he watched Remus being led poorly by Sirius to a table. _Damn right,_ he thought. If they were going to stalk him, at least _one_ of them wouldn't enjoy it.

When he sat back down, Lily was biting back a giggle. "Did you see that blind man being led about by his useless dog? You'd think a seeing-eye dog would be better trained!" she whispered, thoroughly amused. "He ran into a several tables and almost knocked a bottle of champagne right off one."

"What a pity," James said, trying to bite back his own laughter now. He glanced over at the table and bit back his incensed glare. Sirius had been completely unreliable around food in the past, and James heaved a quiet sigh of relief when several plates of fine steak were carried past without incident. "I heard the man arguing with the manager about even being allowed to bring his seeing-eye dog in."

She nodded, smiling, though she noted James' nervous air with a bit of a raised eyebrow. He hadn't been so twitchy since he'd successfully asked her out in September of last year. The pieces were falling into place, and she couldn't help but laugh a little. "We could all hear that, James. I'm glad he gave that manager Hell."

He did laugh at that. "You're such a softie sometimes. Honestly, how _did _you ever manage three more Eaters than me?"

She raised an eyebrow and said quietly, "Wouldn't you try to 'manage' as many as you could if they'd killed your parents? It's only been a little over a month since I lost them! At least your family's still alive." Her humour died quickly as she met his gaze. "I miss them so much," she murmured, voice quavering slightly.

James reached across the table and took her hands. "Lily, you'll _never_ lose me. I'll be right here for you until my dying breath." He kissed her palms. "I love you so much, my dear." As she whispered, "I love you, too," James raised his glass of Dom Perignon 'Oenotheque'. "To us."

She smiled, wiping her moist eyes. "To us." Sipping at the expensive champagne, she mused over her work with the Order and as an Auror, trying to piece together that combination and her relationship with James.

He, however, was reminiscing over their first weeks as a couple. Lily had been to Stratford-upon-Avon on summer holiday, and they'd started dating a few weeks after they came back to school. He remembered all too well the weeks of Miss Lily Evans's dramatic proclamations and the sound of her usually quiet voice booming out sonnets and speeches. When he told her that he loved her, she'd merely laughed and said, "'Even so quickly may one catch the plague?'" She'd scorned his own proclamations and romantic whisperings with a quick, "'Love is merely a madness, and I tell you, deserves as well a whip and a dark house as madmen do.'"

James had complained to Remus, but the scholarly young man had merely laughed. "Surely you don't think she'll let you romance her so easily? She strung you along for years before finally conceding that she likes you. D'you remember how well she fooled you into falling for her a second time? She's not going to use her newfound love of the bard to romance you, but to scorn you dramatically. Have you ever read _Taming of the Shrew?_"

"I wore her down!" he'd insisted with pride.

Remus shook his head sadly. "Prongs, my good friend, it'll be the other way around. Best of luck to you, mate." With that, he'd gone off to the library to study.

"James!"

Lily's voice startled James from his reminiscing. "Sorry, love," he said quietly. The "blind" man a few tables away was snickering under his breath and talking to his dog.

Lily laughed. "You've been boring a hole through the tablecloth." She wiped her face off with her napkin and said, "Well, I'm quite finished if you are. Where are we off to?"

He grinned at that as he offered her his arm. "We're off to the Gardens, my dear."

She ignored his offered arm. "I've got to go to the loo, James. I'll meet you up front." James nodded. The minute Lily's back was turned he shot a spectacular glare at Remus and Sirius, gesturing rudely.

Remus forgot he was feigning blindness and returned the gesture, only to have Sirius nip him on the ankle.

James laughed and walked to the front to pay the outrageous several hundred pounds, most of which went to cover the champagne. Lily joined him a moment later, and they walked off into the night.

The summer night was warm, and a light breeze danced through the park as they strolled. They talked quietly the while and stopped near the Peter Pan statue so Lily could admire it. James grimaced as he remembered the nightmare of that morning.

_I've got to do it now,_ he thought to himself, pulling the sonnet out of his pocket. Lily was looking up at the stars, a smile playing about her lips. He looked down at the parchment and swore quietly. "Fucking hell." The ink had smeared that he could scarcely read the first line. "My glass shall not--pursue?--pers_uade _me I am old," he whispered.

Lily turned 'round and looked at him questioningly. "What'd you say?"

He shook his head and stammered, "Non-nothing, Lily darling."

She looked at him in disbelief. "You definitely said something."

_Oh, this is hopeless!_ he thought. "Lily, you are the sun--no, I mean, you're--"

"What?" she asked patiently, by now thoroughly bemused.

He kicked at the grass under his feet and gave up completely on either of the two previous options. He remembered again Lily's obsession with Shakespeare. He took her hands. "What was that you always used to say...'Love is merely a madness, and deserves as well a whip and a dark house as madmen do'?"

She nodded, grinning openly.

He dropped to his knees, heedless of the wet grass. "Well, love, go get yourself a whip and find a lovely dark house; I've gone completely mad with love! Marry me!" He dug the box out of his pocket and opened it, holding it up to her.

Lily burst out laughing, nodding yes even as she wiped a few tears of mirth from her eyes. Resting a hand on the statue for support, she doubled over with laughter, by now practically hysterical.

James looked rather miffed. "Lily...?" he asked, a bit concerned.

She met his eyes and tackled him, snogging him to within an inch of his life. They caressed each other passionately, much to the glee of the enormous black dog that had unceremoniously abandoned his "blind" master.

James stopped kissing Lily abruptly. She pouted and started to protest, but James held up a finger to her swollen lips. "I have to hear it, Lily. Say it, please."

She grinned, her tears by now of joy. "'My heart unto yours is knit, So that but one heart we can make of it: Two bosoms interchained with an oath; So then two bosoms and a single troth.'" She kissed him again. "Yes, a thousand times, yes, I'll marry you!" She took the ring from the box that had landed on James' chest. He carefully took it and slipped it on her finger from where he lay beneath her, kissing her hand. "I love you, Lily Marie Evans," he whispered.

"And I love you, James Harold Potter, loony as you may be. Now, come on, let's go; your back must be soaked." She stood and pulled him to his feet.

James was forced to admit that was, in fact, soaked and that his pants were clinging to his legs in a most unbecoming fashion.

She took he hand and kissed him deeply. "No, what was that you were saying about a nice dark house? If we turn off the lights, your flat should contain two nutters like quite well."

* * *

"If we shadows have offended,  
Think but this, and all is mended,--  
That you had but slumber'd here,  
While these visions did appear."

_The Shakespeare quotes:_

"Even so quickly may one catch the plague?" --Twelfth Night, Act I, scene v"  
Love is merely a madness..." --As You Like It, Act III, scene ii  
"My heart unto yours is knit..." --A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act II, scene ii  
"If we shadows have offended..." --A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act V, scene i


End file.
